Alien Devices
by SlayersGrl
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they’ve been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?
1. Arrival

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: And the plot bunnies keep attacking... It's 3am and classes start tomorrow, but this chapter demanded to be written. And yet again, I hate the title, but will probably never get around to changing it later...

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Chapter 1:

Unsurprisingly, the planet looked exactly like the MALP image: a small clearing around the gate and then a dense rainforest. In fact, there was nothing of interest in visual range. The only reason the small group had ventured here was because the UAV had sent back pictures of what looked to be an outpost nestled in a cliff a few miles away.

Major Sheppard could already feel the sweat begin to run down his back. He was so no looking forward to chopping a path through the thick vegetation. But they really had no other choice. There wasn't a clear area to land a Jumper so they would have to walk.

The major removed the machete from their equipment. He was glad the SGC had decided to send one along on their expedition. Then he began the long arduous task of cutting a walkway through the dense plant life that littered the forest floor.

Each team member took a shift at it. Even McKay lasted a whole twenty minutes until he demanded a break before he had a hypoglycemic reaction. It was three hours later when Teyla finally broke free of the canopy cover and emerged in front of their target.

"We had better find something after all that!" McKay grumbled as he gratefully sucked fresh air into his overtaxed lungs.

"No kidding…" Ford agreed.

Sheppard realized the surge of energy at finding the outpost was quickly wearing off. His team was exhausted. He sighed wearily. "You three wait here. I'll go secure the area. Then we can check the outpost."

They each nodded in acknowledgement and then thankfully sat down to wait. The major did a quick reconnaissance of their surroundings, but he could find nothing to suggest that anyone had been there recently. Satisfied, he quickly returned to his team. He eagerly accepted the canteen Ford offered him and took a long gulp. Then he handed it back before addressing the group. "It doesn't look like anyone's been here for a while."

"Perhaps we should examine the outpost then?" Teyla asked.

"I bet it's cooler in there," Ford added with a smile. That got everyone motivated to stand and pick up their equipment.

They still entered cautiously in case they really weren't alone on the planet. Ford lead the way, P-90 raised. The outpost had obviously been overrun by the local wildlife. There were plants growing along the walls and there was evidence that a few of the rooms may have been used for a nest at one time or another.

"The power source must be completely depleted," McKay said while examining his scanner. He could not pick up any energy readings. He frowned and mumbled, "I was hoping we'd find a charged ZPM."

"Well, it's still worth a look around. They might have left something behind we can use," Sheppard replied. He then sent Ford and Teyla to search the rooms on the left side of the outpost while he and McKay took the right. The first couple of rooms they tried were empty. But they hit the jackpot on the third. There was Ancient tech scattered all about the room.

"Look at all of it…" McKay whispered as he eagerly stepped towards a promising piece lying on the table by the door. He was stopped by Sheppard placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax McKay," he said with a chuckle. "We have three days until we have to check in. Just mark it and we'll come back."

Grudgingly, the scientist obeyed. But he couldn't help one last glance back at the room before moving on. They quickly finished their examination of the rest of the rooms in their section but none proved as promising. Both men excitedly returned to the assigned meeting place.

"Any luck?" Sheppard asked.

"Not a thing, sir," Ford replied. Then he gave McKay a weird look and added, "But I'm guessing you found something." The scientist was so excited he could barely restrain himself from abandoning the meeting and rushing back to the room.

"Yeah, you could say that. Come on, we'll show you." The major indicated that his team should follow and lead the way to the third door on the right.

Ford let out a low whistle when he saw all the equipment that was strewn about the room.

"Do you think any of it still works?" Teyla asked. She was surprised as to the amount of devices they had found. "There must be some reason why the Ancients left all of this here?"

"Well, it could just be a place where they repair defective machines. Or maybe it's a lab where they test new devices," McKay replied as he did a slow walk around the room to inventory anything that looked promising. "If we're lucky, maybe we can find something that we can use against the Wraith."

Several hours later, Ford found himself alone with McKay. After testing several different devices, Sheppard had decided he needed a break. So he left Ford to watch over the scientist while he and Teyla went to patrol the area.

"So, any luck getting any of this junk to work?" Ford asked while lazily handling one of the discarded pieces on the table.

"Hey! Don't move that!" McKay shouted. "I have a system…" He grabbed the device from the lieutenant's hand and carefully placed it back in its original position. "And to answer your question, no, nothing has worked yet. But if Major Sheppard would hurry up… Why didn't he just have you go with Teyla? It's not like anyone is here."

Ford smiled. The man may be a genius but sometimes he just didn't have a clue. "No one likes to be a guinea pig McKay, least of all Major Sheppard. I'm sure he just needed some fresh air. You've had him cooped up in here all day."

"Look, if I could do it without him I would! But I need his gene to get this stuff activated!"

McKay's rant was interrupted by a voice from the doorway. "And here I thought you wanted me for my charming personality."

The scientist winced, realizing his last statement must have sounded rather harsh. But his ego wouldn't allow him to apologize for it, especially since it really was true. He did need the major in order to determine which devices would be worth taking back to Atlantis for further study. "Ah, Major Sheppard, you're just in time," he said as he held up one of the smaller devices.

Sheppard groaned. "Oh come on McKay! I must have tested dozens of this stuff by now! None of it has so much as blinked!"

"I'd be more than happy to just pack it all up to take back to the base. But I for one don't want to have to lug it all back through that jungle only to find out it's a pile of junk."

The major sighed. Rodney did have a valid point. They could only carry a small amount so they needed to find out which devices would be worthwhile. "Fine, point taken. Hand it over," he replied as he extended his hand out to take the device. "So what do I do with it?"

'I think it goes over your ear and loops around to your forehead," Rodney replied, indicating the position with his hand.

Sheppard did as instructed. Then his team watched him intently for a few minutes, waiting to see if anything would happen. Rodney was about to declare the device busted when it suddenly sprang to life. It glowed brightly for an instant before an object appeared on the table.

"Cool," Ford said to break the silence. "Think it's real?" He was amazed that a turkey sandwich had materialized out of thin air.

Teyla was just as confused as the lieutenant. "Major Sheppard?" she asked.

"Well, there's only one way to find out…" He eagerly reached for the sandwich and quickly took a bite. "Oh, it's real all right. And pretty good too."

"Ok…" Mckay replied. "What exactly were you thinking before the sandwich appeared?"

Sheppard had to pause in eating his mystery snack in order to reply. "Um… I was thinking about how stupid this was since it's obviously a pile of broken junk. And that I would so rather be sitting around enjoying a nice turkey sandwich. Then poof, there it was."

"Hey, could you ask for some ice cream?" Aiden interrupted.

The major shrugged his shoulders. He concentrated for a moment before a pint of Moose Tracks appeared on the table exactly where the sandwich had previously sat. Ford eagerly snatched it up. "Thanks sir!"

"So what, it's some sort of food synthesizer?" McKay asked, hoping Sheppard would have some idea as to how the device was operating. He just couldn't believe the Ancients would have built a device solely for the purpose of producing food items. If they had, surely the city would have them.

"Perhaps you should try something other than food?" Teyla suggested.

The major, having now completed his food, thought carefully for a moment. He suddenly had a thought as to what the device might be. He glanced around the room quickly before making his decision. Again, he concentrated for a moment. Only this time, McKay's scanner disappeared for its position next to the scientist only to reappear on the table.

"Hey! Don't mess with my equipment! You could have damaged it!" McKay shouted as he quickly snatched up his scanner. After a quick check he realized that the device was still in perfect working condition. "Alright… so it's a transporter?"

Sheppard shrugged his shoulders again. "Apparently."

"If it's a transportation device, then where did the food come from?" Teyla asked.

Everyone looked over at Ford who had immediately stopped shoving the frozen dessert into his mouth. "Uh, that's kinda creepy…" He turned to look at the major.

"What? Don't look at me! I just make the stuff work. McKay's the one who figures out how it works." He then removed the device and handed it back to the scientist. "Have fun."

Sheppard immediately recognized the expression on the other man's face. The wheels in his head were already turning, formulating multiple different theories to explain what they had just witnessed, and well, eaten…

The major turned to address his other two team mates. "That sandwich made me hungry. What do you say we go heat up some MREs?" Although he had much preferred the taste of his sandwich, he also liked to know where his food came from… Besides, he had a feeling McKay might be working on the answer to that question for a while.

TBC...


	2. Detection

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Sorry about taking so long to post this. I was having a minor case of writer's block. But it's all taken care of now. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for all the encouraging reviews so far!

* * *

The team found it rather easy to pry their physicist away from his scanner long enough to eat with them. When it came to McKay, food always comes first. The rest of the evening was spent discussing their discovery and making plans for the next day.

Rodney was rather frustrated by the fact that he had yet to uncover how the strange device worked. He always prided himself on being able to unravel any scientific mystery, but this one had him stumped. Eventually, he decided that he must need some of his equipment back in his lab. He was sure that once he had the device back at Atlantis, then he would definitely be able to figure out how it functioned.

But they still had a lengthy task to complete before they could return… "Major, don't think you're off the hook for tomorrow. I need you to test the rest of the devices so we can start packing the ones we're going to take back."

"Oh, joy… I can hardly wait…" was the muttered response. McKay thought he could detect some hostility behind the statement. He briefly wondered if the major was still angry about his earlier comment. But he didn't have a chance to inquire about it since the major ordered Ford to take first watch and then headed to bed.

Rodney shrugged his shoulders. He'd talk to him about it tomorrow. Then he too drifted off to sleep, dreading his turn at watch duty.

The next morning, Teyla watched in amusement as Rodney rolled out of his sleeping bag and then stumbled over to where she sat. She silently handed him a fresh cup of coffee which he eagerly snatched up. Then he wandered over to where he had left his equipment and began to study his readings from the previous day. Moments later, the other two members of the team awoke and she repeated the gesture for each. It was by unspoken agreement that no one started any real conversation until after everyone had had their first cup of coffee.

Sheppard quickly downed his and then turned to Ford. "What do you say to a little stroll around the woods?" He felt bad about leaving the lieutenant with babysitting duty the day before and he figured a nice walk would help to wake the two of them up. He knew he was in for a long day…

"Sure sir!" Ford exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He was tired of being stuck inside.

The two eagerly left to check the perimeter. Teyla found herself with nothing to do for the time being so she walked over to check on Rodney. He didn't notice her presence until she cleared her throat to ask a question. "Have you made any progress?"

"Uh… not really. I have lots of interesting readings, but I really need to get back to my lab before I can run a full diagnostics."

She simply nodded her head in understanding. But before she could reply, her radio sprang to life. "We have a problem," John's voice calmly stated.

"Go ahead Major," Teyla replied.

"A Wraith dart ship just flew overhead. We don't think they spotted us, but there could be more in the area. We're on our way back to the outpost now. Stay where you are."

"Understood." Teyla then turned to her other teammate.

"That's impossible!" Rodney declared, his mind already churning out possible factors that would have alerted the Wraith to their presence at the outpost. "Unless…" He jumped up and ran back to the Ancients' lab, quickly scanning the various devices to find what he had suspected.

"Teyla?" a voice called out from the main chamber of the outpost.

"We're in here!" she replied. "Dr. McKay has found something."

The two military officers rushed into the small room. Ford stood guard at the door while Sheppard turned his attention to the scientist. "Please tell me you found a weapon we can use."

"No, but I think I found out why the Wraith are here…" He then held up a small device that had previously been sorted into the defective pile. It was emitting some sort of energy signal, but it did not appear to be doing anything. "I think it's a transmitter like Teyla's necklace. But it seems to be a newer model. The energy signal is different so it made it harder to pick up."

"You mean we've been broadcasting our position since we got here?"

"Well, since we started handling these devices… You must have… activated it…" Rodney replied.

Sheppard sighed in frustration. He had hoped the Wraith wouldn't be able to detect them inside the outpost since it was buried in the side of a cliff. But since they had a homing beacon practically pointing straight at them, he knew they had only one choice. "You have five minutes to grab your gear, and then we're leaving."

"We can't just leave all of this behind!" McKay protested.

"It's not worth your life," Teyla interrupted. "We can return later once the Wraith have left."

Reluctantly, Rodney nodded his head in agreement. He may be willing to make certain sacrifices in the name of science, but losing his life wasn't one of them. He quickly rushed around the room grabbing the devices they had previously decided to take back and a few they hadn't had time to test yet.

Meanwhile, John and Teyla were packing up the rest of their gear. They decided to grab only what they would need on the way to the gate and leave the rest behind. Just as they were about to yell to McKay and Ford to hurry up, they heard the sound of ships landing outside.

Sheppard glanced out the outpost entrance and confirmed what he had already suspected. "We're too late," he announced, "They're already here. We'll have to find another exit." He then headed back to the lab to collect the rest of his team, Teyla right behind him.

"Sir?" Ford asked, concerned to see is C.O. heading in the wrong direction.

"Change in plans," he replied. "McKay, is there any other way out of here besides the front door?"

"Uh, no… in case you haven't noticed, we're buried in the side of a mountain. Our only option is to leave the way we came in." He paused, realization just hitting him. "We're screwed aren't we?"

"Not necessarily…" Aiden interrupted. "Since there's only one entrance, it should be relatively easy to defend."

"We do not have enough firepower to hold off a Wraith assault," Teyla countered. "And we should not stay here much longer. I can sense them approaching."

"Alright, we need to move further underground. Hopefully they'll be satisfied once they find no one here and simply leave." John realized his plan sounded rather pathetic, but it was all they had.

Ten minutes later, the four found themselves hiding in a darkened room at the far end of the underground outpost. They had set up a few lines of defense as they went. Several blocks of explosives were placed along the hallway at key locations, set to detonate by tripwire if the Wraith got too close to their hiding place. Also, they had barricaded the entrance to the room as best they could. It probably wouldn't hold for long, but hopefully it would buy them some more time.

"What do we have left?"

Ford quickly inventoried their supplies. "Three P-90s, two clips each. Four 9mm handguns, a few blocks of C-4, a handful of grenades, and our utility knives." It was barely enough to take out one Wraith, and they were definitely facing more than one.

"Oh we are so dead."

"Shut up McKay! We're still breathing aren't we?"

"Not for long…"

Any reply Sheppard had was cut off by a loud explosion down the hall.

"They definitely know we're here," Teyla said, readying herself for the impending battle.

"Everyone take position. We're only gonna have one chance at the element of surprise."

"I never thought I'd die like this…" Rodney muttered as he moved to stand behind a table for cover.

Ford replied as he too moved into position. "Relax. We're not going to die."

"Are you kidding me? We have no chance in hell!"

"Shut up!" Sheppard whispered. "Get ready to fire on my mark."

Suddenly, the door began to vibrate in its frame. The Wraith were pounding on it to gain entry to where their victims awaited. The hastily constructed barricade could barely hold up against the beating and was crumbling under the pressure.

"Here it comes…" Ford whispered.

As the door finally collapsed, Sheppard called out his order to fire. Any other sounds were drowned out by the hail of automatic weapons fire as they unloaded their clips into any flesh they could see in the hallway. The initial assault only lasted seconds, but it was hard to determine what sort of affect it had on the Wraith. Once the firing stopped, the room was once again plunged into darkness.

"Did we get it?" McKay asked incredulously. He refused to believe it was going to be that simple.

"Well, I think we got one of them at least," Sheppard replied as he dug around in the darkness to grab one of the grenades. "But now we've just announced our location to every other Wraith down here."

His words rung true as they all heard the cry of angry Wraith just outside the door. Without hesitation, the major pulled the pin from the grenade and lobbed it through the doorway. The resulting explosion was enough to rock the entire outpost, but it succeeded in its purpose.

"Two down…"

"Ten more to go," Rodney added as he glanced at the life signs detector.

"Ten?!"

"Hey, don't yell at me! I just count the dots!"

"Sir, we definitely don't have enough explosives to take out ten more Wraiths…" Ford replied. He hated to admit it, but it didn't look like they'd be walking away from this one.

"Wait…" Sheppard quickly turned to Rodney. "McKay, give me the device."

He was confused by the request. "Which one?" He had a whole bag full of devices, none of which seemed particularly relevant to their current situation.

"The one that works. The transporter or whatever it is."

Teyla, however, immediately picked up on the major's line of thinking. "You plan to use it as a weapon."

"Of course!" McKay explained as he rushed to retrieve it from his bag. "It can provide us with all the firepower we need!"

"We've got incoming!" Ford shouted as he let loose with a hail of bullets. Two Wraiths were just breaking through the crumbling remains of the door frame but they were driven back temporarily by the gunfire.

John quickly grabbed the device from Rodney and put it on. Then he also took the life signs detector. He tried to determine the area to hit for the most effectiveness. He noticed a cluster of four Wraith standing just outside the room. "Alright, here goes nothing…" Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on imagining a small explosive materializing in the center of the small group. The device glowed and a moment later, a loud explosion resounded from the hallway.

But at the same time, John screamed in pain and collapsed to the floor.

"Major!" Teyla called out. She quickly checked his pulse and found it to be strong. For the moment, he appeared to be just unconscious.

"What happened?" Ford demanded. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Maybe it has some sort of rebound effect. The Ancients probably never intended it to be used as a weapon and therefore must have engineered fail safes into the design," Rodney theorized. He could only hope the device had not seriously injured the major. Although, it probably wouldn't matter soon… They would all be Wraith food if they didn't come up with some more options.

Teyla glanced up from her fallen team member to glance back at the entrance. She quickly raised her weapon and opened fire. The Wraith fell to the ground only to be replaced by another. She knew this would likely be their last stand, but she was not ready to give up without a fight. Beside her, she could hear Ford and McKay firing their weapons as well. She shifted so she was standing between Major Sheppard and the ensuing battle. Then she threw a grenade into the mix and dove to the ground to avoid the blast, using her own body to shield Sheppard's.

As she lay on the ground, she heard a soft voice whisper in her ear, "Teyla?"

"Major?" She was surprised to find him conscious. By his expression she could tell he was confused about what was currently going on. "You passed out for a few minutes. The Wraith have broken through. We are trying to hold them off."

Sheppard nodded his head and then quickly rose to his feet. He glanced over at the chaos and his eyes widened in surprise. He counted five Wraiths in the small room, each closing in on his teammates. The bullets were slowing them down, but not by much. And they were too close to take out with explosives.

It was at that moment that he knew they were all going to die. No matter what they did now, it wouldn't be enough. He closed his eyes and sadly shook his head. "_What I wouldn't give for all of us to be as far away from here as possible…_"

Had he actually had his eyes open, the major would have been shocked to see the scene suddenly blur and fade away, only to be replaced with a more familiar one. His team found themselves standing in front of the Stargate buried deep beneath the ground in Colorado.

But their shock quickly turned to concern as Major Sheppard toppled forward. Teyla and McKay quickly grabbed him and lowered him onto the cold metal ramp. Teyla desperately felt for a pulse. She raised her eyes to meet Ford's. "He's not breathing!" she exclaimed.


	3. Explanations

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Hmm… I guess that cliffie was rather evil of me, huh? I just couldn't help myself… Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. It was extremely hard to write. I had to do it in sections.

And obviously, this story has become a crossover with SG-1. I must admit, I haven't really seen that much of season 8, so please forgive any inaccuracies with the current timeline. As far as the SGA timeline, this takes place sometime after The Eye but definitely before Letters to Pegasus. I'll try not to mention anything in-between so as to not spoil them for those who haven't seen them yet.

Thanks goes to PurpleYin for the beta! Any mistakes are entirely my own.

* * *

Chapter 3: Explanations 

Ford was understandably surprised by the sudden change in location. One moment they were in a deserted Ancient outpost fighting for their lives and the next they were standing on the ramp leading to the Stargate at the SGC. Upon seeing the armed marines rush into the room at their arrival, he quickly lowered his weapon and raised his hands, hoping they would recognize them before any shots were fired. He was distracted by Teyla and Rodney carefully lowering his C.O. to the ground.

Teyla looked up and stared directly at him, a hint of panic in her expression. "He's not breathing!"

He quickly glanced up to the control room, hoping they would understand the severity of their situation. He watched as General O'Neill reached for the intercom and paged a medical team to the gateroom. Then the general and the members of SG-1 were rushing to join the chaos that had enveloped the small ramp.

Ford, McKay, and Teyla immediately backed away from the major as the medical team arrived to begin CPR. No one said a word as they watched the medics work. It was a harrowing couple of minutes later that they finally convinced his heart to start beating again. Then they rushed their patient off towards the infirmary.

"Lieutenant," General O'Neill said as he turned his attention away from the rapidly disappearing gurney to the three members of the Atlantis expedition who were still standing before him, "what happened? And how the hell did you just show up in the gateroom?"

"Sir, I'm not sure," Ford began, "We were under attack by the Wraith when Major Sheppard somehow transported us here."

"Wraith?"

"Uh, long story sir. Let's just say I'd rather deal with a Goa'uld any day…"

Jack stared at the soldier in disbelief. "Well, that's saying something…"

"Excuse me, sir," Teyla interrupted. "Perhaps we could continue this conversation at a later time. We are anxious to see how Major Sheppard is doing."

He stared at the woman for a moment, trying to place her face. He was sure she hadn't been a member of the original expedition team. "I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten your name…"

"Teyla isn't from Earth. Her people were the first we met in the Pegasus galaxy," McKay replied.

She then nodded her head in greeting. "I am Teyla Emmagen, leader of the Athosians."

O'Neill followed her lead. "General Jack O'Neill, leader of Stargate Command." Then he considered her request. "Alright, all of you head to the infirmary. You need to get checked out anyway. We'll debrief in an hour."

As the group eagerly filed out of the gateroom, Jack pulled Ford back for a moment. "How much do you trust her?" he asked, referring to the most recent alien to enter the base.

"As much as you trust Teal'c, sir," Ford replied, his voice steady.

"That's all I needed to hear."

Aiden nodded his head in understanding and then hurried to follow the rest of his team to the infirmary. When he arrived, he was immediately pointed in the direction of a waiting bed and proceeded to sit impatiently while a quick check up was performed. Once he had been issued a clean bill of health, he was free to join McKay and Teyla where they had been joined by SG-1.

"Amazing," he heard Colonel Carter saying as he approached. "You mean the city was really submerged beneath the ocean?"

"Well, it makes sense that the stories would be true. The legend must have been passed on by the Ancients that returned to Earth," Daniel added.

"That's exactly what I thought," McKay said with a smirk.

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of one of the doctors working on Major Sheppard. Teyla was the first to ask the usual question. "How is he?"

"Major Sheppard is currently in stable condition. We got his heart started again and all our tests have come back normal. But he still suffered a huge shock to his system. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays unconscious for a while." Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out a familiar looking device, which she handed to Carter. "We waited to remove it until we were sure it wouldn't cause any adverse effects. I knew you'd want to take a look at it."

Sam nodded her head as she examined the Ancient device. "So this is what Major Sheppard used to bring you here? Any ideas as to how it works?"

"Well, I have some theories, of course," McKay replied, "but nothing substantiated yet. I was hoping we'd be able to ask Major Sheppard."

"Can we see him?" Ford asked the doctor, needing to see for himself that the man was alive.

"Only for a few minutes and then you'll have to leave so he can get some rest," she replied. Then she led the way to where the major was currently laying on one of the hospital beds. Several wires connected him to a few of the machines arranged around the bed, including the one that was currently humming the reassuring sounds of his heart beating.

Teyla walked over to him and took his hand in hers. "You are safe, John," she whispered into his ear. Then she turned to look at the doctor. "I wish to stay with him until he awakens." Before she could protest, Teyla continued. "He will be disoriented when he awakens. The last thing he probably remembers is that we were facing certain death from the Wraith. He will want to see his team to make sure we are all right." She had no intentions of leaving him alone with that as his waking thought.

"Fine," the doctor finally assented. "But don't disturb him. Let him sleep as long as he needs to."

The Athosian nodded her head in agreement and then pulled up a chair to begin her vigil. McKay and Ford stayed for a while before having to leave to debrief the general. They were reluctant to leave since Sheppard hadn't regained consciousness yet, but Teyla assured them she would make sure they knew the minute he had.

The two men walked into the SGC briefing room to find General O'Neill, Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c already waiting for them. They took a seat at the table and the general began the meeting.

"Ok, to make this easy, why don't you just start at the beginning?"

"You mean when we arrived in Atlantis?" Rodney asked.

Jack nodded his head.

McKay and Ford then took turns telling the story of the long string of events that had been set into motion the minute the expedition team had arrived in the city of the Ancients. They tried to describe the experience of being the first explorers to set foot in the lost city for thousands of years, but words failed to describe the beauty and wonder of actually seeing it.

Words also seemed to fail when it came to describing the evil that was the Wraith. Even after facing an enemy such as the Goa'uld, it was hard for SG-1 to contemplate a threat as large as the one posed by the latest enemy to appear from the cold vacuum of space. They were now faced with the very real possibility of having to face an enemy that was extremely hard to kill and that considered the entire human race to be a tasty snack.

The death of Colonel Sumner, especially at the hands of a Wraith, came as a surprise to the Earth-based personnel. The SGC knew that there would most likely be losses in an expedition as uncertain as this one, but the group had hardly arrived when everything had gone to hell. Luckily, they had sent the best and the brightest along on this journey or they probably wouldn't even be having this conversation.

"Wait, you mean to tell me Atlantis, the city built by the Ancients 10,000 years ago, was almost destroyed?" Daniel interrupted once the two men had gotten to the part about the massive storm that had threatened the city.

"Without the shield, the city is basically defenseless," McKay replied. "Atlantis has always survived the storms before because it had been submerged beneath the water. Our only hope was to harness electricity from lightning to temporarily power the shields."

"Yeah, and it would have been a whole lot easier if the Genii hadn't shown up…" Ford added.

"Who are the Genii?" Sam asked.

McKay was the first to reply. "A militant group we met on one of our trading expeditions. We, uh, might have mentioned that we knew how to build atomic weapons and they've been trying to get supplies from us ever since. When we refused to give them what they wanted, they tried to take over the city."

Ford interrupted at this point. "Of course, they weren't successful. But they're definitely a force to be reckoned with."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at that statement. "You appear to have made many formidable enemies in the short time you have been there."

"We've made friends too," Aiden countered. "Like the Athosians."

"And we've already begun learning more about the Ancients than we've ever known. Their database is extensive. We've only translated small sections of it, but what we're finding is amazing."

Before Rodney could launch into one of his speeches about the fascinating research the Ancients were conducting, the meeting was interrupted by one of the base personnel. "General," the young man said as he took a step into the room, "I'm sorry to interrupt but you wanted to know as soon as Major Sheppard was awake."

All further thoughts of continuing the meeting were wiped away as the two attending members of the Atlantis team instantly stood up. Ford at least had the decency to wait until he was dismissed before beginning the mad dash for the infirmary.


	4. Options

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Wow, it's amazingly hard to keep track of what four characters are doing in a story, let alone eight! I'm trying to keep SG-1 involved in the storyline, but it's really hard to write that many characters in one scene!

sgafan33: Ok, this is why I don't write h/c fic… I have like zero medical knowledge. So, I changed that phrase to a nice vague "for a while." We'll just pretend any of Shep's amazing recuperative abilities are a side effect of being inhabited by an alien power source in "Out of Control"… Please let me know if I screw up any more medical facts. I'm glad you liked some of the dialog in the chapter though!

And thanks to everyone else who reviewed. You keep me motivated to write!

* * *

Chapter 4: Options

He was floating. Suspended in the murky darkness, he was overcome by a sense of weightlessness. He felt calm and peaceful. But for some reason, that feeling felt wrong. But he couldn't think of any reason why he shouldn't feel at ease. Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed his chest. He immediately recognized it as the hand of a Wraith. He watched in horror as the hand began to suck the life out of him. Just as the last drop of life was bout to leave his body, he heard a voice call out his name.

Through the fog that seemed to have taken over his mind, he struggled to place the voice. It sounded familiar. As he sought to place the disembodied voice, he felt himself drawn away from the suffocating darkness and back towards the land of the living.

Major Sheppard surged upright as consciousness returned to him. He instantly regretted it. His chest felt like someone had been pounding on it with a sledgehammer. As he lay back down, he turned his head slightly and finally placed a face with the voice.

"Teyla?"

"Major, you are awake."

"So it seems... What happened?"

She smiled wistfully. "You died." At his perplexed look, she asked, "What is the last thing you remember?"

He had to contemplate the question for a moment. They had been on a mission… to the Ancient outpost… They had found a stockpile of alien gadgets… Everything had been fine until… "The Wraith!"

"Relax Major! There are no Wraith here. I assure you that we are safe."

"Ford? McKay? Where are they?" _Something must be wrong, _he thought as he struggled to lift himself up on his elbows to get a better look at his surroundings. _Why was only Teyla here?_ His efforts were halted by a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"They are both safe. In fact, they are on their way here as we speak. They were briefing General O'Neill."

That last statement got his attention. "Where are we?"

Teyla smiled. "We are on Earth."

So many revelations in such a short period of time had his mind reeling. Sheppard struggled to make sense of the information he had received so far. He wasn't dead, although apparently he had been at some point. His team was safe. And there were no Wraiths in sight. But perhaps the most baffling was that they were home. "What the hell is going on?"

"I was hoping you might be able to answer some of that," McKay said as he suddenly appeared in John's line of vision. He appeared to be breathing hard, like he had just run the whole way here.

Ford appeared next to him a moment later, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Good to see you conscious sir."

"Don't get me wrong, it's great to see all of you. But why aren't we dead?"

"You don't remember?" McKay asked.

"Remember what? The last thing I recall is the Wraiths about to suck the life out of all of us."

Any further explanations were halted by the arrival of the members of SG-1 along with the leader of the SGC. "Major Sheppard, I see you've decided to join our briefing," Jack said with a smile as he stopped next to the growing number of people that had surrounded his bed.

"That's what everyone keeps saying, sir." Then the major turned to his teammates. "Are we sure this is for real this time? Maybe it's some sort of cruel Wraith joke…"

"What do you mean this time?" Daniel asked, picking up on the conversation.

Ford decided to answer before McKay started to explain all the scientific aspects of the weird mist planet. "We thought we had found a way home, but it turns out we were deceived by the local life forms. They made us think we had made it home to prevent us from actually doing it so we wouldn't kill off millions of their kind. Luckily, we convinced them to let us return to Atlantis if we promised to never go back."

McKay glared at Ford for a moment. "Well that's certainly the layman's explanation…" Then he turned to Sheppard. "And to answer your question, as far as we can tell, this appears to be the real thing. At least we're all sharing the same reality this time."

John nodded his head. It wasn't a definitive yes, but it would have to do. "Now, what was I supposed to remember?"

The Atlantis team looked at each other briefly. By unspoken agreement, Rodney got the task of trying to explain what had happened to their leader. "You somehow used the device to transport us to Earth. Although, the process appears to drain you physically. Major, your heart stopped."

John frowned at that revelation. That must be why his chest hurt.

"What's the last thing you remember thinking?"

"That we were totally screwed. And that I wished we were back on Atlantis."

Now it was McKay's turn to frown. "What exactly was your thought? That we were back on Atlantis or just anywhere but there?"

He thought for a moment before replying, "That we were as far away from there as possible."

"Well that explains why we ended up here instead of the city. Think about it. You wanted to be as far away as possible from the Wraith. You may have been thinking of Atlantis, but subconsciously your mind knew that Earth was the farthest place from that outpost that you knew of." Suddenly, the pieces fell into place. "Of course, the mental component! You have to know locations to use the device!"

"You have to know where things are before you can transport them," Sam interrupted, following Rodney's line of reasoning.

"Or you have to know the location to transport things to," Rodney added.

Sheppard suddenly realized something. "So, I guess we can't just ask for a ZPM?"

"Not unless you happen to know where one is…"

Teyla then asked, "So the food and the explosives must have come from the supplies at Atlantis?"

Rodney nodded his head.

Jack decided to add his input to the conversation. "This is all very educational. But the question is where do we go from here?"

"Surely you will want to return to the city of the Ancients," Teal'c added.

"And the only way for you to do that is to use that device."

"No! Absolutely not!" Rodney exclaimed. "That thing killed the major! And it'll probably do it again if we try. What if we can't revive him? No, we'll have to find another way." No matter how much he wanted to return to the city, he wouldn't risk Major Sheppard's life to do it. And he knew Ford and Teyla felt the same way.

Jack nodded his head. He understood exactly what the scientist was saying. He didn't think the risk was worth taking either. "Alright Dr. McKay, you and Colonel Carter get started on researching some viable options." He then told the rest of the team to get some rest, especially the major. "Let me know as soon as you have anything."

McKay and Carter quickly headed off to her lab, already discussing ideas for alternate methods of getting back to Atlantis. Jack and Teal'c also left to attend to other responsibilities around the base. That just left two standing next to the major's bed.

"You had better get some rest," Teyla said.

"Don't worry sir, we'll stop by later. Maybe we can even manage to smuggle some food in for you," Ford added.

"Since we're home, it'd better be fast and greasy. No base food!"

Ford chuckled. "I'll see what I can do."

But his comment was lost on the major. He was amazed how the mention of sleep had made him realize how utterly exhausted he was. The brief adrenaline rush he had experience earlier had long since worn off and he quickly succumbed to his previous state of unconsciousness.


	5. Deadline

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Sorry for the delay. School has been really busy lately and I've had a small case of writer's block again. But it's Spring Break and I finally have time to write. It's kind of odd really… I got totally trashed the other night, but it seems to have reopened the creative floodgates.

And I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. It's a little short, but I figured I should post something since it's been awhile…

* * *

Chapter 5: Deadline

Jack sat at his desk and wearily rubbed his tired eyes. The sudden appearance of the Atlantis team had instigated a wave of telephone calls as he had reported the situation to all the top officials in Washington. Of course, this had been followed up with a mountain of paperwork. This was the part of his job he absolutely could live without. But he was finally done.

Deciding he had earned a break, Jack decided he'd go check up on how the visitors were doing. He figured the most obvious place to find them was in the infirmary. Walking in a few minutes later, Jack was just in time to witness Major Sheppard attempting to negotiate with one of the nurses.

"Come on. All I want is some food. Since you wouldn't let Ford bring me anything, at least let me go to the commissary."

The nurse never even looked up from her observation of one of the machines situated by the bed. "You know you aren't allowed to leave the infirmary until you've been cleared by the doctor. But if you want, I can have someone bring you something."

Sheppard sighed in frustration. His plan wasn't working out so well… He really just wanted to get out of the infirmary. He was finally back on Earth and there were plenty of things he'd rather be doing than sitting around waiting for some doctor to tell him he was perfectly fine. "I'd only be gone fifteen minutes."

The nurse continued to ignore him. She had heard it all before. Nobody liked to stay in the infirmary, but that didn't mean she'd let them leave before they were cleared. "Honestly, you're as bad as the General…" she mumbled to herself.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Jack said from his position by the door.

She was startled by the familiar voice and almost dropped her clipboard she had been writing on. "General, I didn't realize you were there…"

"I just thought I'd drop by and see how the major was doing," he replied, smiling to show there were no hard feelings about the previous comment. He knew he could be a little… difficult… at times.

Realizing the general probably wanted to talk to Major Sheppard, the nurse quietly left the room to attend to other things around the infirmary. She could finish her readings later.

"So, how do you feel?" Jack asked.

John quickly replied, "I feel just fine. There's nothing wrong with me. I don't see why I have to stay here."

Jack chuckled at that. "Nothing wrong… right… You only died today."

He almost missed the mumbled response. "Wasn't the first time…"

Jack sighed. Death seemed irreversibly linked with the Stargate program. There was no denying that what they did had its risks. But ironically, the finality of death had become a little less final. The dead didn't always stay dead… No one was ever really prepared for what they had sighed up for. And Jack had been the one to talk the Major into joining their strange little club of intergalactic adventurers. He pulled up a chair and sat down next the infirmary bed. "I'm sorry about all this."

Sheppard was thrown off by the statement. "What do you mean?"

"I mean getting you mixed up in all of this. If I hadn't talked you into accepting this mission, none of this would have happened."

John thought for a few minutes. It would be convenient to blame this whole mess on General O'Neill. But ultimately, it had been his decision to go. "There's nothing to be sorry about sir. I wanted to go. And I'm glad I did. Sure, there are some moments I'd rather forget… but I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. You were right. Anyone who would turn down an opportunity to go through the Stargate is crazy."

Jack nodded at his honest reply. "Well, it's nice to hear I'm right about something." He then stood up. "I'd better go check and make sure Carter hasn't killed Dr. McKay yet. Try not to drive the staff too crazy. Just remember that they carry sharp pointy needles and they know how to use them."

Sheppard chuckled to himself as the general walked out the door.

* * *

Daniel was just about to enter Carter's lab when he heard raised voices coming from within.

"Look, there's a chance it'll work…"

"A chance in hell! Even with the new naquada reactors, there's still no way to produce enough power to open a stable wormhole back to the Pegasus Galaxy. We'd never be able to maintain it long enough to send a traveler through."

"I don't hear you coming up with anything better."

"Because there's nothing here on Earth that can match the energy output of a ZPM."

Daniel decided he had better interrupt the verbal sparring match before it escalated into childish name calling. "Hey guys," he said as he casually entered the room. "How's it going?"

"Daniel," Sam replied, thankful for the distraction. She had almost forgotten how frustrating it was to work with Dr. McKay. "Please tell me you have something."

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry… I couldn't find anything useful in my texts." He could practically feel the tension mounting between the two scientists. They had been trying to come up with a way to open a wormhole back to Atlantis for over eight hours now. "Why don't you two take a break? You're no good to us if all you're gonna do is argue over who's right."

"You heard that…" McKay replied, glancing over at Carter. "I guess we have been acting a little… childish. All ideas are valid ideas, whether they hold merit or not…"

"Is it that hard for you to apologize?" Carter snapped. She was tired of dealing with his arrogant attitude.

McKay sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry I dismissed your ideas so quickly. I'm just…frustrated, I guess. I want to find a way home." Rodney suddenly realized what he said and hurried to correct his last statement. "I mean, back to Atlantis. I'm gonna go get some food now…" Then he hurriedly fled the room.

As Rodney walked towards the mess hall, he thought about what he had said. Since when did he start to think of Atlantis as home instead of Earth? But as he thought about it, he began to wonder if Earth had ever really been home. All he had here was a lonely apartment and his research. Atlantis had that and so much more. It was a chance of a lifetime, not only to learn more about the Ancients and their technology, but to learn more about himself. For the first time in a long time, he actually had friends and even people he considered like family. It made sense that he would want to return there as soon as possible.

As soon as possible… Rodney paused to think about that statement. Why did he suddenly have the feeling there was a time element involved in all of this. Then it dawned on him. "Oh crap!" He immediately changed directions and headed back the way that he came.

Sam and Daniel were startled to see Dr. McKay appear in the doorway so soon after he left. "That was fast," Carter said upon noticing him.

"What?" Rodney asked, confused by her response. Then he remembered that he had said something about going to get food. "Oh, right. I never made it there. Look, I came to tell you that we only have a little over," he paused as he glanced down at his watch, "17 hours to find another option to get us home."

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"Because then we'll be officially overdue to check in."

"And they'll send a team to find out what happened to you," Sam continued, catching on to what Rodney was saying. "They'll walk right into the Wraith."


	6. Research

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: I seemed to have misplaced Aiden & Teyla… It's like watching little children. They wander off as soon as you take your eyes off them…

And I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Between working almost 40 hours a week at my "part-time" job, going to school, and having my computer eat my USB drive (which contained all of my fanfic and current schoolwork), I've been extremely busy. I'd much rather be working on this story than coding my database application… but such is the way of life…

* * *

Chapter 6: Research

Ford impatiently paced the hallway, glancing at his watch every few minutes. He knew it took awhile to get through base security, but if it took any longer, his food would get cold. He sighed in frustration. He would have preferred to go get his own food off base, but since he and the rest of his team were still confined to the mountain that was out of the question. So he had gone with Plan B: bribe one of the base personnel to get it for him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of his much sought after meal. He eagerly grabbed the bag and inhaled the sorely missed scent of fast food. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting this," he said as he handed the man the previously agreed upon price.

Then the lieutenant raced off towards his quarters to enjoy his meal. He had tried to get the infirmary staff to agree to let him bring something to Major Sheppard but they had adamantly refused. Although he was sorry the major couldn't join in, it certainly left more for him.

As he opened the door to his temporary quarters, he could hear two voices in the room. He had left Teyla with Teal'c while he had gone to wait at the elevator. Now it appeared that Teal'c was in the process of trying to explain the concept of television to Teyla.

"But why are there so many channels?" Teyla asked as she breezed through the channels at lightning speed. "Surely they could never hope to watch all of this at once."

"I have found that the Tau'ri like variety in their lives. They prefer to have many options available to them," Teal'c replied.

"How do you know what you want to watch?"

"There is a manual called "TV Guide". It lists each program and what channel it can be found on."

"So, you must read a manual to use this TV?" At this point, Teyla had paused on a random station running a car commercial. "And you say children use these things?"

"Quite frequently actually," Aiden interrupted as he set his bag on a nearby table. He then began unloading its contents: several individually wrapped burgers and a few paper containers of fries.

"I do not understand what purpose this "television" serves."

Teyla stopped her random channel surfing to investigate what Ford was doing. He noticed her look of trepidation and quickly assured her it was good food. Then he answered her question.

"It doesn't really have a purpose, I guess. It's just entertainment. Of course, we don't really have alien life forms threatening to destroy us at any moment…."

Teyla nodded her head in understanding and then examined her burger. She glanced over at Teal'c. "And you enjoy fast food?"

"I'll admit it does take some getting used to…" he replied before picking up his own selection and returning to his seat in front of the TV. Ford quickly joined him and grabbed the remote.

Teyla was amused to see that he immediately began flipping through the channels in the same manner she had. She shrugged at the many oddities of life on Earth, took a cautious bite of her hamburger, and sat down to watch the colorful box that offered a glimpse into life on a planet untouched by the Wraith.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jack had cautiously approached Carter's lab. He was expecting to hear angry voices but, to his surprise, the two scientists appeared to be actually working together. He walked into the lab to find the two bent over Carter's laptop calmly discussing some test results.

In fact, they were so absorbed in their work that they didn't notice he had entered the room. Only Daniel looked up from the book he was reading and acknowledged his presence with a nod of his head.

"Well, they're getting along better than I had expected…" Jack commented as he moved to stand next to Daniel.

The archeologist chuckled at that statement. "You should have been here earlier."

Jack then noticed the large quantity of materials spread out over the majority of the workspace in Carter's lab. There were highly complicated-looking test results mixed in with old books and alien artifacts collected from other worlds. He always wondered how the scientific half of his team ever got anything accomplished in such a work environment, but they seemed to thrive on "organized chaos".

Clearing his throat to gain the attention of the other two people in the room, he asked, "So, have you made any progress yet?" He was quite pleased to notice the scientists jump in surprise at his question. They both finally looked up from staring at the computer screen.

Carter gave him a sheepish grin before replying. "Well, we have several promising leads. We've started running a few simulations to estimate how much power we can generate with the materials we currently have."

"But?" Jack asked when she hesitated to continue.

Rodney added what Sam was reluctant to say. "But we don't have the time. We have until 1500 tomorrow before we become officially overdue to check in and Atlantis begins to plan a rescue mission."

"Right…" Jack says, fully understanding the implications. "Well, keep working on a solution. I'm sure you'll think of something." The looks on their faces told him they weren't quite as confident in their abilities to solve this particular dilemma. But Jack had faith. They had yet to fail to produce results, even if sometimes the answer didn't appear until the last moment. "I'm gonna go try to get some sleep. And I suggest you all do the same. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day…" He then headed off to his quarters, his thoughts already wandering to what might happen if they didn't succeed…

* * *

Bright and early the next morning (a little too early to properly be called 'morning'), the general calmly strolled down the quiet halls of the SGC, several cups of coffee balanced precariously in his arms. He figured that since he couldn't really contribute to the work they were doing he could at least bring them some much needed caffeine. As entered the lab, he was hardly surprised to find the three of them in the exact same places he had left them.

This time they all noticed his arrival, even though Jack attributed that to the unmistakable scent of hot coffee. Daniel practically attacked him to get his cup, while Sam and Rodney weren't far behind. Jack noticed that Rodney took a moment to inhale the distinct scent before taking a large gulp from his cup. He could swear the man had a look of reverence on his face for the warm brown liquid in its small Styrofoam cup.

Rodney glanced up to notice the general giving him a quizzical look. He immediately realized he must have looked a little strange just then. "We ran out of coffee weeks ago," he said as explanation.

Jack nodded his head in understanding. Then he took a moment to study his former 2IC. She looked absolutely exhausted. Her eyes were red from both lack of sleep and staring at a computer for too long. "Carter, I thought I ordered you to get some sleep."

She stared blankly at him for a moment as if the concept of sleep had slipped her mind. He was rather certain it had. Then she smiled ruefully. "Actually, you didn't sir. You clearly said it was only a suggestion."

"Oh, well apparently I should have made it an order." Then he settled himself on one of the chairs and decided it was time to get an update on their progress. "So, what do you have?"

Jack then proceeded to listen to the several different avenues they had been researching. Unfortunately, nothing sounded too promising; especially with the limited time they had left. Why did everything always end up being decided by time?

"So basically you have nothing?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry sir."

Jack sighed, sharing their feelings of frustration. "Too bad they can't just go back the way they came," he wondered out loud.

"We can't," Rodney replied. "There's too many risks involved, especially for Major Sheppard."

"But what if we could reduce some of those risks?" Sam countered. "You said the device was working with no adverse effects originally."

"So if we isolate the cause, we could prevent the same thing from happening." Wheels already turning, Rodney grabbed the device from its position on the laboratory table and rushed out the door with Sam right behind him.

Jack turned to Daniel and motioned towards the door. "Shall we?" The two then followed at a more reasonable pace, glad to finally be doing something constructive. They just hoped they were finally moving in the right direction.


	7. Experiments

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: So sorry for taking so long to update! Between my summer internship and moving to a new house, I haven't really found the time to write… But I really want to get this story written so I can work on my next plot bunny. I've been trying to push that one back so I actually finish this story before starting another one.

* * *

Chapter 7: Experiments

"Your 'television' certainly is an interesting device," Teyla said with a wry smile. She and Lieutenant Ford were seated next to Major Sheppard's bed in the infirmary. They were currently telling him of their evening spent channel surfing amongst the vast variety of entertainment available on cable television. "Although, I cannot understand why the women of your planet choose to where such little clothing…"

Sheppard quickly turned his gaze to the young lieutenant sitting next to her. "What were you watching?"

Ford raised his hands in defense. "It's not what you think sir!" He was prevented from explaining himself any further by the abrupt arrival of two astrophysicists, followed closely by Jack and Daniel.

After taking one look at McKay's eager face and the object he held in his hand, John immediately had a feeling of dread. "No! Absolutely not! Nothing you can say could possibly make me put that thing back on." And quite frankly, he was surprised and somewhat hurt that the man would even consider asking him.

Rodney realized that he probably seemed a little callous at the moment. After all, it wasn't that long ago that he had been adamant about not using the device. But the situation had changed… "Believe me; I don't want to have to be asking you. But we're running out of time." After receiving three looks of confusion in response, he couldn't help but sigh in exasperation. Why hadn't anyone else realized it? "We're supposed to check in with Atlantis at 1500 hours today. What do you suppose will happen when we don't?"

"They'll send a team to find out what happened to us," Ford replied, immediately catching on to Rodney's line of thought.

Teyla quickly countered his statement. "But surely Dr. Weir would send a UAV to survey the area first. They can't help but notice the presence of the Wraith."

"They'd send a team anyway," the major replied. "No one gets left behind."

For a moment, Teyla had forgotten how fiercely loyal the people of Earth were. It was simply not in their nature to give up without a fight. They did not give up on their people, especially if it meant leaving them in the hands of an enemy like the Wraith. "Then we must find a way to stop them from doing so."

At this point, Carter decided to step into the conversation. "We've already tried to come up with any other means to get you back to the Pegasus Galaxy. But we just don't have the time we need."

"But," Rodney interrupted, "there is a chance we could get the device to work without having to risk the major's life." He then turned to address Sheppard directly. "You used it the first time without any problems. We just need to find out why."

Finally admitting that he had little choice in the matter, John reluctantly resigned himself to being a guinea pig yet again. "Fine," he said as he took the device from Rodney and put it on, "What do you want me to do?"

"Transport something."

"Like what?"

Rodney quickly glanced around the now crowded corner of the infirmary and settled on the first object he spotted. He quickly picked up a half-filled glass of water from the small table next to the bed.

After a small moment of hesitation, John sighed and closed his eyes. He concentrated for a brief moment and was relieved when he felt nothing as the object materialized in his hand. When he reopened his eyes, he noticed everyone was staring at him intently, waiting for the proverbially shoe to drop.

"So…?" Rodney asked after a period of silence.

"Your concern for my wellbeing makes me feel all warm and tingly inside…"

John replied, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Rodney didn't have time for childish antics. He knew John wasn't exactly pleased with this latest round of experiments, but it's not like they had a choice. "What I meant was did you feel any adverse effects from the device?"

"I know what you meant. And no, I didn't feel anything."

"Ok, try to transport something larger." No sooner had the words left Rodney's mouth than he felt a vaguely familiar sensation and found himself standing on the other side of the room. "I didn't mean me!" he yelled in exasperation. "For you all you know I could have been vaporized into a thousand pieces!"

"You arrived in one piece the first time…" John replied nonchalantly.

Hoping to refocus their attention on the task at hand, Sam asked, "Do you feel any different now?" She frowned as he shook his head. "Perhaps you could try something farther away?"

He thought about it for a moment and then smiled. He figured he deserved a little something out of all of this. "Breakfast sounds good right about now…" And with that statement, a tray of food materialized out of thin air. Before anyone could say anything, John eagerly started shoveling it into his mouth.

Ford could only look on in mild disgust. "How can you eat that? Do you even know where it came from?"

"Relax," his C.O. replied in-between mouthfuls. "It only came from the cafeteria."

Jack groaned in annoyance at hearing that. He could already envision the pile of paperwork he'd have to fill out about this little incident. But at least the major had enough sense to not transport anything from off the base.

After finishing his impromptu breakfast, John was annoyed to realize he was developing a pounding headache. Without realizing it, he reached up to rub at his temples, hoping to relieve some of the tension.

"You are feeling some adverse affects from the device?" Teyla asked, noticing his actions.

"It's just a headache," he replied defensively.

"Did you happen to have a headache the first time you used the device?" Rodney asked, trying to find some sort of clue as to how the thing worked.

Thinking back to the events that started this whole mess, John realized that he had started to develop a headache shortly after transporting the ice cream. But he had figured it was from him being annoyed at having to play lab rat for Rodney all day. He nodded in reply to Rodney's question.

Jack decided to stop this before it went too far. "Alright, you gave it your best shot. But I think we've had enough human experimentation for one day." He quickly cut off the two scientists before they could begin their arguments. "You still have some time left to work on a better plan. As far as I'm concerned, the device is the last resort. I'd rather not place Major Sheppard's life at risk unless absolutely necessary."

Everyone nodded in agreement. They still had a short amount of time left before any hard decisions needed to be made.

"Sir?" Sheppard asked, addressing the general. "Any chance you could spring me? I'd rather not spend the next few hours stuck in the infirmary…" _Especially if they might be my last few hours…_

"I'll see what I can do," Jack replied. "In the meantime…" he turned to Carter and McKay.

"We're on it sir." Sam replied before the two headed back to her lab, discussing the results of their experiments and trying to develop new options as they went.


	8. Preparations

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Thanks for all the encouraging reviews! I wasn't sure if anyone was still following this story since I've taken so long to post anything new… I've got a nice angsty chapter for you! I actually wrote most of this about 2 months ago, and I'm not entirely sure I like it anymore, but here ya go…And excuse all the doom and gloom. I blame it entirely on Star Wars Episode III.

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Chapter 8: Preparations 

Despite their best efforts, Rodney knew they had failed. Even with all the vast resources of the SGC and the combined cognitive abilities of both himself and Colonel Carter, they had been unable to come up with a "Plan A". As the final hour drew near, the only chance they had of getting back to Atlantis in time was to possibly sacrifice one of their own in the hopes of saving the lives of countless others.

Although the official decision had yet to be made, the entire Atlantis team knew what would ultimately be decided in the end. The only question was what they final outcome would be. But whatever happened, Rodney felt he had to talk to his team leader, his friend, before they left on what could possibly be their final journey together.

John Sheppard wasn't that hard to find. True to his word, General O'Neill had freed the man from the steel clutches of the infirmary staff. Rodney found him where he knew he would be: in the locker room preparing for the mission.

Rodney watched for a moment as the other man prepared in silence. He didn't want to disturb him, but he felt he needed to say something…anything… "You don't have to do this. We'll find another way home." But even as he said the words, he knew they were hollow. There wasn't much hope of a last minute miracle…

John didn't turn around to respond. As he continued to fasten the straps on his vest, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever be doing this simple task again. "We both know we don't have the time to wait. They'll be sending good men and women to their deaths."

"And what about you? We could very well be sending you to your death. I don't know if I could handle that after we almost lost you before…"

"What do you care?" John muttered, almost too quietly for Rodney to hear. He knew that the man had vehemently defended him in front of the general the other day, but he had then insisted on those little experiments this morning. He just couldn't figure out Rodney McKay. Sometimes the physicist absolutely infuriated him and he wondered how he could stand to have him on his team. But then there were other moments that reminded him why he considered him to be one of his best friends. It was just that lately John was beginning to doubt how much value he had on this expedition. Every situation he touched only seemed to get worse.

"I do care! How could you possibly think I wouldn't! You're a valuable member of this team! We need you!"

"Right…" John replied, finally turning to face Rodney. "You **need** me to test all your little toys… You **need** me to power some new Ancient computer so you can fiddle with it to your hearts content…"

"What?" Rodney asked, taken aback by the comment. He was surprised by the amount of animosity that was evident in the major's statement. Unless… "Is this about what I said back on the outpost? Look, you've been given a great gift John." He chose to ignore the snort of disbelief that followed that statement. "You have the ability to use Ancient technology in a way no one else can. But that isn't everything you are. You are a brilliant strategist and an excellent leader. You are what keeps our team of headstrong, not to mention fiercely independent, individuals together and committed to facing any problems that come our way. You are completely irreplaceable, and not just from a genetic standpoint. Whether you believe it or not, we need you because of everything you do."

He paused and took a deep breath. Did he really just say all of that? It was rare for Rodney to drop his façade of egotistical genius, but he felt he needed to say what he did. John Sheppard deserved to know that he was respected, not just for being an excellent pilot or a great military leader, but for every aspect of himself.

It was a moment before John replied. "You're not just saying that because it's what I want to hear? Or because this might be the last time you'll have the chance to say it?"

Rodney grinned. "Come on. Do I look like that kind of guy?"

John chuckled at that. No, Rodney was the kind of guy who let you know exactly what he thought about something, with absolutely no regard for tact or timing. Lately, John had felt like everyone wanted a piece of him. They wanted him because he was the ranking military officer on base or because he was the most experienced pilot they had or because he had such control over the gene. It seemed like no one wanted him because he was John Sheppard. "Thanks Rodney. I guess was just feeling a little… underappreciated." It was nice to know that at least his team valued him for all of who he was, not just one piece of the package.

"Well, I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I guess I have been sort of treating you like nothing more than my personal guinea pig." Then he added with a smile, "Next time, consider yourself upgraded to lab assistant."

"Here's hoping there is a next time…" And with that morbid statement hanging in the air, the two headed towards the gateroom in silence.

They were about halfway there when Ford caught up with them. Realizing that the young man probably wanted to talk with Sheppard, McKay indicated he would meet them at the 'gate and left the two to talk in private.

They walked for a few minutes, neither man saying anything. Then Ford paused, trying to find the right words to say. "Um, sir?"

"Yes Lieutenant?" the major replied, stopping and turning slightly so he was facing the younger man, giving him his full attention.

Aiden quickly gave a salute. "I just wanted you to know that it's been an honor to serve with you sir."

John returned the salute. He didn't know how else to respond. He wanted to assure him that this wasn't goodbye, that there would be plenty more missions for them to go on. But he wasn't about to start making promises he wasn't sure he could keep.

Coming to a mutual understanding that they had each said what needed to be said, they continued on to join the other half of their team to stand in the shadow of the Stargate. Although they wouldn't be using the 'gate as their means of travel on this particular mission, they had all agreed that they should depart from there. It was only fitting since that was the same spot this whole crazy adventure had started from in the first place. Once they had each stepped foot in Atlantis, their lives had been irreversibly changed. This was the path Fate had chosen for them.

Before making their final preparations, Teyla approached John and placed each hand on his cheeks. Then the two bowed their heads in the typical Athosian tradition. Although no words were exchanged, that simple gesture said more than a thousand words could convey. John smiled and nodded his head in understanding.

General O'Neill and the members of SG-1 approached the group as they prepared to leave. "Major, you do understand that no one is ordering you to do this. No one here would think any less of you if you didn't go through with this."

"I understand sir. But I need to do this. I have to at least try."

Jack nodded his head. He was sure that if he were given the option, he'd be making the same decision. "Good luck then Major." The sentiments were echoed by SG-1. John then joined the rest of his team who were standing at the base of the ramp leading up to the 'gate.

"Are you sure you want to bring this equipment with us?" Rodney asked, referring to the naquada generator in Ford's hands and the medical supplies in the packs on his and Teyla's backs.

"We might as well take advantage of the opportunity. Who knows when we'll be able to contact Earth again," John replied. He was determined that no matter what, some good would come out of all of this.

He then put the device in place and waited until each of his teammates had grabbed onto him. It hadn't been necessary the first time, but it made everyone feel more secure to know they were physically connected. John then concentrated on Atlantis. Almost immediately, the Stargate in the background shifted to be replaced with another.

The welcomed view of Atlantis's unique 'gate was the last thing John saw before he collapsed yet again.

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AN: Bad author! Ending with another cliffie… (laughs maniacally in delight) Did they make it in time? And what will become of Major Sheppard? Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of "Alien Devices"! 


	9. Homecoming

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Hmm, it seems you didn't enjoy my little cliffhanger… I, on the other hand, was very much amused by it. However, I'm not completely evil. See, final chapter posted in a timely manner…Enjoy!

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Chapter 9: Homecoming 

Voices. He hated the voices. They refused to let him rest in peace. All he wanted was to stay in the quiet solitude of darkness but the voices kept reaching for him, trying to pull him back into the light. He couldn't quite discern what the voices were saying, but he had this nagging feeling they were familiar to him. The more he listened, the more he wanted to hear what they were saying, to see the people behind the voices.

But as he reached the edge of consciousness, he suddenly decided he had changed his mind. He knew exactly where he was. He wasn't completely sure the desire to see his friends again outweighed his desire to avoid Carson's impending wrath.

He tried to force his mind to succumb to the peaceful dream state he had just left, but it was not to be. One of the voices could be heard clearly. "Come on Major, time to wake up." He groaned in annoyance, but grudgingly complied by opening his eyes.

The scene he caught a glance of, before slamming his eyes shut to avoid the bright lights, was hardly surprising but welcomed all the same. Rodney, Aiden, Teyla, Carson, and Elizabeth were all gathered around his bed staring at him like he was some sort of freak. Which he supposed he was… He was probably supposed to be dead right now.

He attempted to reopen his eyes, taking care to do it slowly this time. "Hey guys, what's up?" he said. He had hoped to sound nonchalant, but instead his voice sounded tired and strained. Someone placed a glass of water in front of him and he relished the feeling of the cool liquid soothing his sore throat.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Carson asked, his professionalism winning out over his aggravation at this particular patient taking up residence in his infirmary, yet again.

John had to think for a moment. Now that he tried to focus on his thoughts, he realized they were muddled and hazy. "I remember… being in the gateroom on Earth." He then frowned in confusion. "And then we weren't…"

Luckily, his team took pity on him and decided to fill in a few of the blanks.

* * *

_Elizabeth was shocked to see Major Sheppard's team suddenly appear out of thin air. She was halfway down the stairs from the control room before she even registered the fact that she was moving. Her heart was racing a mile a minute but it nearly stopped at the resounding cry for a medical team._

_Sliding to a stop next to the huddle of personnel, she took a deep breath and waited. There were a thousand questions she wanted to ask. But the only answer she needed at that moment was whether all of her people were alive and well. A second passed as she scanned the concerned faces gathered around the figure lying on the floor. Simple process of elimination meant she knew exactly who it was._

_She had to restrain herself from giving into the temptation of peering over the shoulders of the medical staff as they did their job. There was no way for her to see what was going on. Finally, she managed to catch Dr. Beckett's gaze as they moved to load the major on a waiting stretcher._

_"Carson?" she asked, not really wanting to hear his response but needing to hear it all the same._

_"He's just unconscious," he said, pausing to consider the few details he had gathered thus far. "Of course, I'll need to run some tests…"_

_Elizabeth nodded her head in understanding. Nothing was certain in medicine, especially when it came to the many alien worlds they visited, but at least he was alive. She would take what she could get. She then watched as the medical staff rushed their patient off to the infirmary before turning to the remaining team members standing beside her._

_"What happened? We saw the Wraith had found the outpost but we were unable to contact any of you."_

_"You didn't send anyone after us did you?" Ford asked quickly._

_"No, they weren't scheduled to leave for another fifteen minutes," she replied, noticing the looks of relief on their faces. That was when she happened to notice something out of place. "Where did you get the generator?"_

_Ford smiled at her inquiry. "We made a little detour home."_

_"Home? As in Earth!" She could only stare at them in disbelief. This was going to be one interesting briefing…_

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Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the memory of the strange tale she had been told. She was intrigued by the apparent power of the small device, but she wasn't sure she was willing to make the sacrifice needed to use it again. John had almost died on the first trip. It was a miracle he had survived the second. 

Her sentiments were echoed by Carson. "You do realize that you're very lucky to be alive," he said as he checked one of the multiple machines next to the bed. "And I definitely don't recommend jumping galaxies on a regular basis."

John mumbled in agreement. He was already feeling the pull back to unconsciousness even though he was sure he had been asleep for days already. Carson immediately recognized this and began ushering the multitude of visitors to leave so his patient could get some much needed rest. Just before succumbing to sleep, his sub-consciousness reminded me that in all the madness he had forgotten about something. He never found out what show Ford and Teyla had been watching…

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Final Author's Note: 

First of all, thank you to everyone who has read this fic, especially those who have taken the time to leave a review. I absolutely love feedback! And the overwhelmingly positive response helps keep me motivated to write.

As this is only the second multi-chapter fic I have ever successfully completed, I am asking for your honest feedback. Which parts did you like? Which parts didn't you like? Was there anything that needed more clarification or just seemed out of character? Were there any scenes you would have like to have seen in the story? You can leave a review here or email me I'm always interested in trying to improve my writing.

I've already begun working on my next story. Hopefully I'll have something posted soon!

Update: Due to popular demand, an epilogue has been added...


	10. Epilogue

Title: Alien Devices  
Author: SlayersGrl  
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: Alright, the last chapter was where I had originally pictured the story ending. (In other words, that's where my plot outline stopped…) BUT… since several of you posted reviews requesting a little more closure, I've decided to include an epilogue. But this is all you're getting! My muse refuses to give me any more…

Oh, and I know some of you requested a briefing scene but frankly, I hate writing briefings. It took me forever to write the short one in Chapter 3. To me, it's like summarizing the story… So, I'll just leave that scene to your imagination…

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Epilogue 

John Sheppard stood on one of the numerous balconies that lined the structure of the ancient city, calmly watching the sun rise over the alien horizon. His forced two weeks of downtime were finally over, the rapidly lightening sky ushering in his first day back on active duty. His thoughts were interrupted by a quiet presence beside him.

He glanced over and was greeted by Elizabeth holding two steaming cups of coffee. With a nod of gratitude, he accepted the proffered mug. He smiled as he recalled where it had come from. Leave it to McKay to add a few "essentials" to the small list of items they had brought back from Earth.

Understanding why he was smiling, Elizabeth couldn't help but join in. "Remind me to thank Rodney for this. I had almost forgotten what fresh coffee tasted like."

Companionable silence fell over the two as they stood watching the waves wash up against the edges of the floating city. It was rare to find a moment of peace in Atlantis and these moments were to be savored. Especially since the growing presence of the Wraith were making these moments more and more scarce.

Reluctantly, Elizabeth decided to break the silence. After all, she had come out here with a purpose in mind. "Did you know Rodney's practically locked himself in his lab trying to figure out how that device works?"

"Sounds like him," John replied, continuing to stare off into the distance.

She had hoped that the mention of his team member might get him to open up and actually discuss what had happened on the last mission. Sure, he had told her the facts of the mission, the series of events that had occurred over those few short days. But he hadn't talked about the emotional and psychological impact it had made on him. Since he was going to be stubborn, she was just going to have to be direct. "You know we're all worried about you."

"I know." He finally turned to face her, a half smile on his face. "I'm fine." From the tone of his voice, she wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

"Really? Then why have you been staring off into space for the last 20 minutes."

"I could ask the same about you."

"You know why I'm here." She paused and took a deep breath. "John, you need to talk about it."

He didn't respond right away. Instead, he returned his gaze to the expansive ocean view before them. Then, his voice barely above a whisper, he said "I just can't figure out why I'm still alive. I mean, by all rights I should be dead."

"The way I see it," Elizabeth replied, "the Ancients must have had a good sense of irony." At his questioning look she expounded on her theory. "Back at the outpost, when you and your team were being attacked by the Wraith, you were certain you were all going to die. You were desperate to save the lives of yourself and your friends. The device gave you a means to do that, but you died in the process, if only for a moment. But in order to return to Atlantis, you were prepared to give your life in exchange for saving the lives of others. When you were least prepared to die, you did. But when you were ready to sacrifice yourself to save others you survived."

John thought about her theory for a moment. It was an intriguing concept. But the truth of the matter was that he would probably never know the reason why. All he could do was be thankful he was here to ponder the question and continue on the path fate had chosen for him. And he finally realized he was okay with that.

Realizing he needed some time to sort through his thoughts, Elizabeth decided it was time to leave. As she reached the door, she heard him call out after her.

"Thanks."

Life would eventually return to normal in their small corner of the galaxy. Or at least what passed for normal… But one thing was certain. John Sheppard was glad to have the opportunity to be a part of it.


End file.
